Chris O’Hare, photo by PhotoRun.net
Brook Handler, photo by PhotoRun.net
The B.A.A. Miles and 1000s have become quite popular on the Saturday before the Boston marathon. On a wonderfully windy and sunny day, the ten thousand finishers of the 5k finished, and the miles and thousand meters began.
The two following stories were written for the Boston Athletic Association, the first, on Chris O’Hare, by James O’Brien and the second, by Barbara Huebner, on Brook Handler.
Both are used by RunBlogRun, courtesy of the Boston Athletic Association.
MEN’S MILE RECAP – By James O’Brien
Boston Marathon weekend used to be all about a single 26.2 mile race on Patriots’ Day. That event, of course, remains the focal point for all who flock to Beantown in mid-April. But, these days there are other events to also attract the world’s attention and stoke the competitive fires on Boston Marathon Weekend. The B.A.A. Invitational Mile attracts middle, high school, and professional athletes from around the globe. That’s just the way it is.
Twelve months ago, Scotland’s Chris O’Hare – the European Championships indoor and outdoor 1500m bronze medalist– had fallen victim to the withering turn of pace of Ethiopia’s Dejen Gebremeskel. This year, the latter had returned to his premier event – winning the B.A.A. 5K earlier in the morning – leaving the way open for O’Hare to move up a step on the podium.
WOMEN’S MILE RECAP – By Barbara Huebner
After finishing as runner-up the past two years, Heather Kampf came into the 2016 B.A.A. Invitational Mile as the heavy favorite to win the Professional Women’s division. Kampf, 28, is known as the “Queen of the Road Mile,” and for good reason–she’s a three-time USA 1-Mile Road Champion.
Brook Handler, who graduated from the University of Michigan in 2015 after an All-American career at 1500 meters, may be angling for the crown.
Handler, 23, earned the biggest win of her young pro career when she shot in front of Kampf as they catapulted around the final turn of the three-lap course in Boston’s Back Bay, hitting the tape in 4:49.6 to Kampf’s 4:49.8. Emily Lipari of the B.A.A. High Performance Team was third in 4:50.8.
